Reading · C1 · Text 44

Sokrates

25 words1 min read100% known at C1

Aber aus Respekt vor den Gesetzen floh er nicht.

But out of respect for the laws, he did not flee.

Er sagte seinen Schülern, sie sollen sich keine Sorgen machen, der Tod würde nicht schmerzhaft sein.

He told his students not to worry, that death would not be painful.

7 words above C1

aus Respekt vor

out of respect for prepositional phrase with dative

floh← fliehen

fled strong verb: fliehen, floh, geflohen (sein) to flee; to escape; to fly; to diverge B1/ˈfliː.ən/

Schülern← der Schüler

students (male or mixed) plural: die Schüler; dative plural here pupil, student, schoolboy (male or of unspecified gender); disciple (male or of unspecified gender) A2/ˈʃyːlɐ/

sollen

should (here: were to) modal verb; present subjunctive I form 'sollen' used in indirect speech should; to be obligated (to do something); ought; shall; to be recommended (to do something); to be asked (to do something); to be intended (to do… A2/ˈzɔlən/

sich Sorgen machen

to worry reflexive verb: sich Sorgen machen, machte sich Sorgen, sich Sorgen gemacht

Tod

death no plural; masculine noun A1/toːt/

schmerzhaft

painful adjective; comparative: schmerzhafter painful (causing physical or emotional pain) C1/ˈʃmɛʁt͡shaft/

Grammar in this text

Subjunctive I in indirect speech (Konjunktiv I)

er sagte seinen Schülern, sie sollen sich keine Sorgen machen

The verb 'sollen' is in the present subjunctive I form, used to report what someone said without quoting directly. It indicates that the statement is reported, not a direct quote.

Subjunctive II for hypothetical or reported future (Konjunktiv II)

der Tod würde nicht schmerzhaft sein

The verb 'würde' (subjunctive II of 'werden') plus infinitive 'sein' forms a conditional or future-in-the-past construction, often used in indirect speech to express a prediction or hypothetical statement.

Prepositional phrase with dative (Wechselpräposition)

aus Respekt vor den Gesetzen

The preposition 'aus' takes the dative case. Here 'vor' is part of the fixed phrase 'aus Respekt vor' meaning 'out of respect for', and 'den Gesetzen' is dative plural.

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Text from Sokrates — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.